| Howard Fensterman is defending the East Neck Nursing Center in West Babylon, NY, in a lawsuit brought against the center by a resident relating to a male exotic dancing performance. The son of one of the facility’s residents is suing the nursing home after he looked in his mother’s dresser drawer and found a photograph of his 85-year-old mother, Bernice Youngblood, putting money into the dancer’s pants.
News from the Press |
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| The male exotic dancer was hired after the activities committee, made up of 16 residents of the center, unanimously voted to have the performance. The lawsuit claims the staff arranged the event for their own amusement, but that is not the case, according to East Neck and Mr. Fensterman. The residents voted to utilize part of their entertainment budget for the performance and the nursing home paid the $250 fee to have the dancer perform.
The event, which took place September 2012, was optional, and none of the resident patients were required to attend. According to the nursing home and Mr. Fensterman, it was Mrs. Youngblood’s son’s live-in girlfriend who brought the 85-year-old from her room to attend the event. The patient’s son claimed his mother was forced to tip the dancer using her own money, which should have been locked away. However, it is clear from the photograph being circulated that Mrs. Youngblood’s son’s live-in girlfriend was sitting next to Mrs. Youngblood during the performance. According to the lawsuit, the family is seeking $10 million in punitive damages and an unspecified amount for the patient’s emotional distress. At a recent press conference, though, Mrs. Youngblood, who currently suffers from partial dementia, admitted she did not remember the details of the event. No other complaints have been made by residents of the nursing home. |
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Joan Rivers
I was honored as “Man of the Year” by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (CCFA) at the Long Island Chapter’s “Laugh ‘till It Stops Hurting” Spring Comedy Dinner, and most of all, I was honored to meet and speak with Joan Rivers. A wonderful woman who made the night for all who attended.
My heartfelt condolences go out to her daughter and grandson.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Howard Fensterman
In October 2013, Mr. Fensterman hosted a fundraiser for NYC mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio at his Long Island residence, where over ninety Long Island community leaders gathered to show their support for the Democratic nominee. “Bill de Blasio is going to pursue a strategy that will result in a stronger New York City and, in so doing, will add to the vitality of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.” stated Mr. Fensterman.
He also pointed out “What was once considered a sleepy ‘bedroom’ community on the outskirts of Manhattan, Long Islanders now recognized for its dynamic, well-educated talent pool that is vital to New York City, and for its local businesses, large and small, that help make the Greater New York area one of the most vibrant economic engines in the country. Bill de Blasio understands the interrelationship between New York City and Long Island. His policies will benefit New York and Long Island residents.”